


Promise Me

by then00breturns1101



Series: DnD-nanigans [4]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work
Genre: Angst, Discussions of Death and Violence, Gen, Relying on your friends, Tiny Akai Andry and Damakos are mentioned, implied major character death, my audience for this fic is six and a half people but i'm writing it anyways
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26320339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/then00breturns1101/pseuds/then00breturns1101
Summary: Whatever they're about to face, Portia knows it's going to be bad. She knows she might not come back alive. She needs a contingency plan, and there's nobody she'd trust more with her kids.
Relationships: Vahlock "Biggs" Kul & Portia High-hill
Series: DnD-nanigans [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1886455
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Promise Me

**Author's Note:**

> >:3

Thoughts of the upcoming confrontation hadn’t left Portia’s mind all night. Every time she looked at Andry, she was reminded of just how young her daughter was—how young all her children were.

Her _children._

Gods, if she didn’t succeed here, they’d lose their mother—or both of them—or even a sister, too—

She shook her head to clear the overwhelming thoughts from her mind. She was determined that Andry make it out alive—she’d asked each of her friends to protect her. And Portia had told Tiny to keep an eye on her daughter, to make sure she got out alright, that she was alive.

But she knew that something could still go wrong. And as her grip on her axe tightened, Portia knew she needed a plan for the worst.

As the temple started to show itself through the trees, she knew she was running out of time. Any moment now might be her last chance. Avu and Akai went ahead to scout the area, giving everyone else a moment’s respite.

Now or never.

She pulled Biggs aside, just out of earshot of the others, and into the trees.

“Ports?” he asked as she took his hand. “What’s going on?”

“I need to talk to you,” she began, “about… about Lidda, and the children.” Finding the right words was a struggle. She could feel her friend’s blue eyes, ever filled with care and concern, burning into her.

“I know that what we’re up against here—whatever it is, it’s going to be bad.” Her eyes closed for a moment. “I need to have a… plan. Help. If things go wrong.”

“You know I’m always here for you if you need help,” Biggs replied, tail twitching a little. “But this is about more than just that, isn’t it?”

Portia smiled.

“You’re very perceptive,” she said with a short laugh. “It is about more than just the battle. Biggs, you know I trust you. I’ve asked you these kinds of things before, but…”

The words kept sticking in her throat, despite how much she had practiced them. Why was this so difficult? Why was it such a struggle? Why was it so impossible to just say _I might not come back from this fight alive?_

A heavy hand on her shoulder helped bring her back to earth as Biggs smiled reassuringly, waiting for her to go on. Portia took another breath and began to speak again.

“I don’t know if I’m going to come back,” she stated with as little emotion in her voice as she could muster. Before she could go on, Biggs stood up, cutting her off.

“Ports, don’t say that.” His voice was stern even as his eyes betrayed his worry. “We are _all_ coming back from this alive, one way or another. Don’t say things like that—that you’re going to die.”

“Biggs, I know you’re an optimist, but we can’t always be certain of the outcomes,” she replied with just as curt a tone. “I’m not treating it as a certainty. I don’t plan on doing anything unnecessarily sacrificial—Gods know we’ve had enough of _sacrifices._ But things _could_ go wrong.”

He didn’t argue with that. Silence came back in their little corner of the woods, hardly even interrupted by the rustling branches above them. Knowing she had his full attention once again, Portia went on.

“If I don’t come back from this, I… I need to know that my family will be okay. Even if Lidda wakes up, I don’t know how much she’ll be able to do. And Bree has had enough on her shoulders alone.” Portia looked up, bridging the height gap between them with the fierce gaze of her brown eyes into his blue ones. “Biggs, they’re going to need someone to help them. They—they might need a new home. I need to know they’ll be okay.”

“Portia, I… you’re not going to die, you don’t—”

“ _Biggs!_ ”

Portia’s voice rang through the quiet clearing, louder than she had intended. Her eyes didn’t leave Biggs’ for a second.

“I need to know that, if it all goes wrong, they will be okay. Please, promise me—” her voice shook as the grimace on her face turned from frustration to grim resignation and desperation. “Promise me. Promise me you’ll take care of them.”

Everything went still. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath, waiting for a resolution. Finally, Biggs knelt down so he was at eye level with Portia and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Portia, as your friend and as Vahlock Kul, I promise you that I will do everything in my power to ensure that your family is safe and cared for. Food, a home, support—my clan and I can take care of them.” Biggs’ voice was thick with emotion and his eyes were blurred with tears. He didn’t _want_ to have to agree to this. He didn’t want to have to plan for what would happen if his friend _died,_ but… he knew she was right. They had to be prepared. It was a possibility. But that didn’t mean it had to be a likely one. He went on;

“I’m also going to do everything in my power to make sure you _do_ come home. That everyone does. You’ve worked too hard for your family’s sake to be unable to reunite happily with them.”

Portia smiled at him, even as she felt tears prick at her own eyes, too.

“Thank you,” she whispered, voice thin. Biggs just nodded and squeezed her shoulder a bit.

“Do you… do you have a will?” he asked, bringing his free hand up to not-so-subtly wipe his eyes. “Just in case, of course.”

Portia nodded and took out a well-worn scroll of parchment. She could remember all those nights sitting by a fire, adding bits and making notes and asking herself _what the hell she was doing_ and if she was really doing the right thing by putting herself in danger. Every drop of ink on that scroll carried a burden, and as she handed it to Biggs, the rolled-up parchment felt heavier than it had any right to be.

“I started writing it a couple years ago,” she explained, “when I left home. I knew there was a chance of something happening, so I needed a plan.”

As Biggs held her will, he felt emotion threaten to bowl him over. His eyes blurred again as he put the scroll away, nodding.

“I will make sure it is carried out,” he managed to say as the first tear slipped down his face. “But I will do anything to make sure you get home safely. To make sure _all_ of you do.”

Portia smiled and stepped forward to hug him, despite the fact her arms could barely wrap around his torso.

“Thank you, friend,” she whispered as he hugged her back in an almost crushing embrace. Biggs just nodded. Tears were streaming against his scales at this point, and he didn’t want to let go. He knew Portia was capable, he knew she was noble and wouldn’t back down from a fight, but he just _didn’t want to lose her._

Their embrace was cut short by Tiny calling them back, but both were at least a little reluctant to let go.

“Alright, let’s get back to the others before they get worried,” Biggs chuckled, wiping the tears from his eyes.

Portia nodded and helped him up. They heard Damakos call next and both turned as Biggs yelled out a “Coming, Dames!” to the worried tiefling. Portia smiled, but it fell as one last thought occurred to her.

“Oh and, Biggs?” she piped up just as he started to walk back. “I know you have a diamond on you, but if it has to come to it, and it’s either me or Andry that needs it…”

Biggs turned around to look at her, knowing and dreading what she would say next.

“Promise me.” Her jaw set once again with tears filling her eyes. “Promise me you’ll choose her.”

**Author's Note:**

> robin if you're reading this please don't kill andry


End file.
